Feelings Revealed: A sister Healed
by Writing4ever4God
Summary: When Prue takes her younger sisters to the beach, she confides in Piper about something she has kept inside for four years. Slightly AU. R/R


DISC: I DO NOT own any of the chars from "Charmed." They belong to the WB. A/N: I wanna thank my friend Susannah for sending me some more of my old Charmed stories! I hope everyone enjoys these few old stories I wrote a long time ago! These were written around the same time as all my other old Charmed stories I've posted up here. "Feelings Revealed, A Sister Healed"

"**Come on, Phoebs!" Sixteen year old Prue Halliwell called upte stairs to her eight year old sister. "It's time to go!"  
Phoebe sighed as she tried her best to make sure she had everything packed.  
"I'm coming!"  
She called so loudly, that her younger sister, Paige, who was just five years old almost fell off the bed with a start.  
"Geez, Phoebs," Piper, who was just thirteen and the middle sister of the four Halliwell's, said while shaking her head, "I think the whole State heard you."  
This got Paige giggling as she let Piper help her put on her bathing suit.  
After what seemed like forever, all four sisters were in the car with Prue at the wheel.**

**Prue had only just gotten her license and Grams didn't want her driving too far.  
"Are we there yet?" Paige asked about fifteen minutes after they had reached the highway.  
Prue sighed and gave Piper a Look.  
"We won't be there for awhile, squirt," Piper warned her little sister, using Paige's nickname. "Why don't you play a game with Phoebe."**

** Phoebe shook her head and hit Piper playfully on the shoulder while burying her nose in a book.  
"I'm busy," she said. "Anyway, you agreed to take care of Paige, so you entertain her."  
Piper shrugged and gave Prue a Don't-be-mad-at-me, but-I-think-I-need-to-switch-places-with-Phoebs, kind of look.  
Prue understood and stopped the car long enough for Piper and Phoebe to switch seats.  
Ten minutes later, Piper and Paige were happily emersed in a game of Go Fish, while Phoebe was busy reading a map for Prue.  
"I thought we were supposed to turn left at the light past the elm tree," Prue was saying half to herself and half to Phoebe.  
"Well, that's what I thought it said." Phoebe said defensively. "Don't blame me. I'm only just learning about maps in school. You can't expect me to be an expert in the first week."  
Prue nodded and glared at Phoebe. She knew it wasn't her fault. But she also wanted to prove to Grams that she was able to take care of her sisters as well as manage to navigate herself across the coast-line without getting all of them killed or arrested in the process.  
"Are they ever gonna stop arguing?" Paige asked Piper with a worried look.  
Piper sighed.  
"I don't know, sweetie. Why don't you close your eyes and try and get some sleep."  
Paige nodded and tried, but it wasn't easy. Between Prue and Phoebe bickering and the sound of traffic and honking horns, the almost six-year-old was lucky to get fifteen minutes of sleep.**

********

An hour and a half later, the four sisters had finally reached their destination. Phoebe helped Prue get the cooler and blankets out of the car while Piper carried a now fast asleep Paige to where they were planning to picnic for the day.  
After the blankets were in place and Prue had set the rules for Phoebe and Paige, Piper laid Paige down on one of the blankets and covered her with another. Then she laid a blanket down for herself and began to relax.

** "Having fun, sweet girl?" Prue asked after about five minutes.  
Piper smiled.  
"Yeah. I just wish Paige hadn't fallen asleep. I mean she's going to miss all the fun."  
Prue put a comforting arm around Piper.  
"She'll wake up soon enough. Besides, it's good that she's getting this nap in. She didn't have one yesterday and boy was she ever cranky."  
Piper nodded in agreement.  
"Hey Piper!" Phoebe suddenly shouted excitedly from a little ways away. "Wanna build a sand castle with me?"  
Piper thought about this for a moment and then nodded.  
"Sure, Phoebs. Let me just get a drink of water and then we can get started. Maybe when Paige wakes up from her nap, she and Prue can challenge us in a contest." Piper said, shooting a challenging look Prue's way.  
Prue smiled.  
"You're on."  
After Piper and Phoebe were done making the sand castle, Paige started to stir. The first thing she asked when she woke up was, "Are we there yet?"  
Far from getting Prue annoyed, this made her giggle as well as everyone else.  
"Yup, missy Paige," Piper said, patting Paige's shoulder, "we're here. So what do you want to do now?"  
Paige's eyes lit up as she watched a wave cross the shore-line.  
"Let's go in the water!"  
"Yeah!" Phoebe echoed cheerfully. "Last one in is a rotten sea-turtle." She jumped up and was about to lead the way towards the water, but Prue caught the back of her little sister's bathing suit, stopping her in her tracks. "Hey!" Phoebe said, jerking away and looking back at Prue with a look of annoyance on her face. "Why did you do that?"  
Prue's face was set in an expression of concern and firmness.  
"You're not going in the water." She said flatly.  
"Why not?" Phoebe demanded.  
"Because it's a little breezy. And if I recall correctly, Phoebs, you just got over a cold and I don't want you sick again."  
Phoebe glared at Prue.  
Paige frowned and looked to Piper for help. Generally, if Paige wasn't able to get her way from Prue or Grams, she'd go to Piper and almost always got what she wanted.  
However, this time was different.  
"Don't look at me, Missy Paige," Piper said, her tone almost as firm and final as Prue's. "Prue's in charge and whatever she says goes."  
"What's the point of coming to the beach if we can't play in the ocean?" Phoebe grumbled. "That's like going to the zoo and not being able to pet the sheep."  
Prue sighed. She didn't want to spoil her younger sisters from having fun. At the same time, she wanted to keep them safe. She knew all too well what could be hiding in the water, just waiting for innocent children-or innocent good witches to lower their guards.  
"Prue?" Piper asked in concern, seeing a tear run down her older sister's face. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, sweet girl. Honest. Now whose up for a sand-castle contest?"  
Paige was all up for it, and gradually, Phoebe started to like the idea. As for Piper, she wasn't doing anything else until she got Prue to tell her what was bugging her.  
"Phoebe," Piper suddenly said, "why don't you watch Paige for me while Prue and I take a walk. Would you like to be a big girl and help?"  
"Sure."  
"Piper," Prue said. "We can't leave them alone."  
"They're not going to be alone," Piper assured her older sister. "LEO!" she called.  
In an instant, Leo orbed in. He smiled when he saw Piper and greeted her with a hug.  
"Hey!" He said cheerfully. "How's my favorite charge?"  
"Good," Piper said, leaning her head against his shoulder as he hugged her. After they had pulled away, Piper's mind came back to reality. "Leo, I need you to watch Phoebe and Paige for me. Prue and I need to talk in private."  
"Sure thing."  
"Girls, be good for Leo," Piper told Phoebe and Paige.  
"They're always good for me," Leo told her without a doubt.  
Piper nodded and gave Paige a kiss on the cheek before kissing Phoebe. With that, Prue and Piper left on their walk down the beach.**

"**So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Piper asked as she and Prue walked along the deserted beach together a few minutes later.  
Prue was silent for a moment.  
"What makes you think something is bothering me?" Prue asked simply.  
Piper shrugged.  
"Oh, I don't' know. The fact that you were so hell-bent on not letting Phoebe and Paige go play in the ocean and how you almost made Paige cry because you yelled at her for no reason."  
Prue sighed as she felt another tear escape her eye. She tried to brush it away so that Piper wouldn't notice, but it Piper had already seen it.  
"What is it, Prue?" Piper asked in concern. "What's the matter?"  
"I-I didn't even want to come," Prue confessed before bursting into tears and nearly collapsing in Piper's arms as Piper sat down on a sand dune overlooking the ocean. "I didn't really want to come. But Grams kept saying you guys deserved a vacation and I agreed, so I did it. I did it because….." Her voice trailed off as more tears came.  
"Shh," Piper soothed as she began to stroke Prue's hair and rub her back. "It's okay. It's all right. You can tell me. I PROMISE I won't tell anyone else."  
Prue hiccupped before continuing.  
"I was only ten when it happened. I still can't believe til this day that she's gone…." More tears came and for a few minutes, Prue couldn't speak.  
Piper nodded as she continued to comfort her. Now she understood what Prue was talking about. Their mother, Patty, had died just two years after giving birth to Paige. She was killed by a water demon at the very beach they were at now. It was all coming into focus for Piper. It all made sense. Prue wasn't trying to spoil Paige and Phoebe's day, she just wanted to keep them safe for fear of what would happen if they set foot into the ocean. The very tidal wave of a demon that took their mother away.  
For about ten minutes, it was silent. The only sound that broke the silence was a bunch of sea gulls flapping overhead and Prue's sobs.**

** "I'm sorry," Piper said softly. "I'm really sorry."  
"What are you sorry for?" Prue asked, wiping her eyes and trying to compose herself.  
Piper shrugged.  
"For not being supportive. For taking Paige and Phoebe's side. I didn't know. But how could I be so stupid."  
"Piper, look at me, now," Prue said, her voice was suddenly stronger and full of determination.  
Piper recognized the tone in her older sister's voice and knew it was best to obey her.  
"You, Piper Jane Halliwell, aren't stupid. Do you hear me?"  
Piper nodded as Prue gave her a hug. It felt like she was trying to repay her for all the hugs their mother couldn't give. "And you know what else?" Prue said.  
Piper shook her head.  
"I love you very, very, much. So much in fact that I would risk spoiling a day at the beach just to keep you safe. And not only you, but Phoebs and Paige too."  
"So what do you say, why don't we pack up and hit the mall instead?"  
Prue smiled at this. Piper always had good ideas for making someone feel better.  
"That sounds great, sweet girl. Come on." And with that, they walked back to where Leo and the girls were.  
After they had repacked all of their stuff, Prue drove back home so that they could unload and then they hit the mall.**

*****************

That night, Prue was just about to fall asleep, when she heard a soft knock at the door.  
"Come in," she whispered.  
Piper, Phoebe and Paige walked in a minute later.  
"Hey, what are you guys doing up? It's really late." Prue asked. Her voice was full of concern, but she had a smile on her face.  
"Couldn't sleep," they said in unison.  
This got everyone laughing.  
"All right you guys. You can sleep in here. Come on."  
Piper climbed into bed next to Prue while Phoebe and Paige got sleeping bags from the linen closet.  
After they had settled themselves down, there was a chorus of "Good-nights" and "I love you's." Followed by a round of kisses and hugs.  
After Paige and Phoebe had finally fallen asleep, Prue nudged Piper.  
"Hmmm? What's the matter?" She asked.  
Prue smiled as she lovingly tucked a strand of Piper's long brown hair behind her ear.  
"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you thanks."  
"For what?" Piper asked, obviously confused and a little tired from the days events.  
"For being there for me, little sister. I really appreciate it."  
"No problem." Piper said sleepily. "I know you'd do the same thing for me. You have done the same thing for me more times than I can count."  
Prue smiled as she bent down and gave Piper a kiss good-night.  
"And I'll continue to be there for you as long as you need me. Pleasant dreams, sweet girl. See ya in the morning." With that, Prue settled herself down and closed her eyes. But before falling asleep, she sighed and whispered, "Good-night, Mom. I love you."

THE END


End file.
